TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida will have some of the strictest restrictions in the country. Social media ban for minors The bill would become law if it withstands expected legal litigation, according to a bill signed Monday by Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis.
The bill would ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for 14- and 15-year-olds, a slightly watered-down version of DeSantis' proposal. It was rejected earlier this month.This was one week before the annual legislative session ended.
The new law was a top legislative priority for House Speaker Paul Renner, a Republican. It goes into effect on Jan. 1.
“Children's developing brains don't have the capacity to recognize when they're being drawn into these addictive technologies, nor the ability to recognize the harm and move on from them, which is why we have to step in,” Renner said at a bill-signing ceremony at a Jacksonville school.
Bills vetoed by DeSantis Prohibit entry for minors under 16 years of age A bill that would have blocked users from popular social media platforms with or without parental consent passed, but before the veto could be imposed, the state legislature sent a second bill to Governor DeSantis after reaching a compromise with Governor Renner to ease his concerns.
Several states are considering similar bills. In Arkansas, A federal judge blocked the execution in August. Laws requiring parental consent before minors can create new social media accounts.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said at the signing ceremony that being a father influences his view of Florida House Bill 3, which would ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for 15- and 16-year-olds.
Supporters in Florida hope the bill will withstand legal challenges because it bans social media formats based not on content but on addictive features like notification alerts and autoplay videos.
Renner predicted that social media companies “will sue as soon as this bill is signed, but we're going to beat them. We're going to beat them. And we're never going to stop.”
DeSantis also acknowledged that the law could be challenged on First Amendment grounds, saying the Stop Uke Act he signed into law two years ago was “unlawful.” was recently dismissed by the Court of Appeal The majority of justices were Republican appointees. They found that banning private companies from including discussions of racial inequality in employee training violates free speech rights.
“I look at the bill and I can veto it any time I don't think it's constitutional,” DeSantis, the lawyer, said, expressing confidence the social media ban would be upheld. “I think we've not only satisfied me, but also satisfied the fair application of the law and the Constitution.”
Kara Bondar, state policy director for the Computer and Communications Industry Association, said in a news release that she understands concerns about online safety, but questioned whether the law “can meaningfully accomplish those objectives without infringing on the First Amendment rights of young users.”
She also anticipated legal action.
“This legislation could create significant obstacles for young people seeking access to online information, a right afforded to all Americans, regardless of age,” Bondar said.
The bill passed overwhelmingly in both houses of Congress, with some Democrats joining the Republican majority in supporting the bill. Opponents argued that the bill was unconstitutional and that the government should not interfere with decisions parents make about their children.
“This bill takes away too many parental rights,” Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said in a news release. “Instead of banning access to social media, we would be better off ensuring improved parental monitoring tools, better access to data to stop bad actors, and significant investments in Florida's mental health systems and programs.”
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This article has been corrected to show that 14- and 15-year-olds, not 16-year-olds, need parental permission.